Faults involving ground produce high fault current magnitude especially when the transformer(s) neutral is solidly grounded. The neutral ground circuit in the transformer provides the return path for the fault currents. To limit this current, impedance – either in the form of a reactor or a resistor – is installed in the neutral circuit. See [...][Continue Reading...]

Installing medium voltage power cables underground comes with its own set of challenges. From the engineering standpoint, there are several factors one needs to consider before installing the cable. The most overlooked if not well understood factor is the type of power cable that’s required for the application and when to ground the cable’s neutral [...][Continue Reading...]

For electrical engineers, designing the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system (SCADA) for an electrical substation can be a daunting task, if not confusing with the different ways you can connect various Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED's) based on protocols each device supports. This article serves to help you understand this system so you can design one as well.[Continue Reading...]

Substations contain equipment that are controlled by relays. If the relay is installed at a remote location such as a control house then you need to lay down wires from the relay to the location where the equipment is in the yard. The process of laying wires can be as simple as directly burying them in the ground to pulling them through a conduit. Sometimes cable trenches are used. Site conditions, project funding, and the type of substation (bulk power vs. distribution) dictates which method is the most suitable.[Continue Reading...]

Constructing a substation on an empty piece of land is not as simple as laying foundation and erecting steel structures. You have to consider the soil conditions at the site before building anything. Here is what you need to know:[Continue Reading...]